TMC: I bashed the ‘Tiger Mom’ before I ever read her book

OK, maybe I didn’t bash you but I participated in many conversations, including three blog posts here, without ever having read “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.” I read excerpts and watched interviews with of you on morning TV. I couldn’t resist the feeding frenzy of judgmental parents piling on this because you were so strict, such a perfectionist that they thought you were damaging your girls.

Then I read your book this past weekend and realized the hysteria that surrounded it was just that.

Here are some of the things I learned:

You weren’t criticizing Western parents, you were talking about what you did and comparing it to what you see from parents you know. You don’t say one is better than the other. In fact, you question whether your methods were the root of problems with Lulu, your younger daughter. And there are those disclaimers about how you know there are Western parents out there who are strict.

You are quite self-deprecating. All those interviews and articles I read when the book came out portrayed you as such a judgmental know-it-all.

You are very self aware and question yourself throughout the book. I can’t say that about a lot of parents I know.

In the end, it’s just your story, not a parenting book.

For this week’s True Mom Confession, we want to hear whether you, like me, joined in the ‘Tiger Mother’ discussion without reading the book.